Near Misses
by Jessica R Vance
Summary: This is my first and only fic from James' POV. I dunno, I just find it easier to write from Jessie's...


Near Misses  
OR: That Darn Cat-Type  
  
By: Jessica R Vance  
  
Rating: G  
  
Written: March '00  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own any of 'em. Capesh? That means you can't sue me! I'm saving up to buy the Pokémon movie, anyway…  
  
Summary: Meowth manages to find a way to ruin *everything*…  
  
Feedback: Tubular, dude! JessicaVance@lovelornpoet.com. But don't flame me without an explanation of why I suck! Ciao!  
  
*Near Misses*  
  
"Prepare for trouble." Jessie said.  
  
"And make it double." I finished.  
  
"Oh no, it's Team Rocket again!" Ash said. "Well, we can handle them! Pikachu, thunder shock!"  
  
"Pika-CHU!" The little electric mouse cried. The shock waves hit us with a jolt (no pun intended) and we went sailing into the air… like always.  
  
"Looks like Team Rocket's blasting off agaaaaaain!" Jessie and I cried. Meowth, somehow unshocked, ran after us on the ground.  
  
We landed a good ways away, making a large hole in the dirt. I landed on the bottom, like always, but this time, something was different.  
  
In less convenient situations like this, Jessie had always landed facing away from me. This time, she was facing me. She pushed herself up, one hand on either side of my shoulders, and looked down at me. Several thoughts entered my mind at once:  
  
1. I could just let her stay there and see what she would do.  
2. I could push her off of me.  
3. I could kiss her, though that seemed highly out of the question.  
  
I realized something. She hadn't moved. Why? She just stayed there, on top of me, looking down at me with those big blue eyes of hers. I had to bite me tongue to keep myself from saying anything. If I said something, it might break the spell and she might move. So I just stayed quiet.  
  
Suddenly, her face began to move towards mine. *She* was going to kiss *me*! Well, obviously, that was just fine with me. I closed my eyes…  
  
Our faces were mere centimeters apart when we heard Meowth's voice. "Jessie! James! You guys c'mon! We gotta get dat kid!"   
  
My eyes, as well as Jessie's, snapped open and she rolled off of me, suddenly embarrassed and blushing like mad.  
  
"Jessie…" I began, but she didn't stop to listen, just scrambled out of the hole, following Meowth. I sighed, got up, and followed her.  
  
~*~  
  
Later that day, we were sitting in our Rocket cabin, trying to think of new plans for catching Pikachu. "I hate that kid." I stated.  
  
"That makes three of us." Meowth answered. "But we gotta think of a way to catch his Pikachu or the Boss is gonna kick us off of the team!"  
  
"So let him." Jessie said, speaking for the first time. "Who cares? The worst it will do to us is mar our reputation as criminals. Big deal."  
  
I looked at her in amazement. Jessie was usually the one who made us stay in Team Rocket. But now, she was saying that it didn't matter if we stayed or left. "Jess? Are you OK?" I asked.  
  
"I don't know." She said. "I just… don't feel like making up plans, is all."  
  
That was my second shock for the day. *Jessie* didn't want to make up plans? What was wrong with her? It… didn't have anything to do with what had happened earlier, did it? "Why?"  
  
She put her head in her hands. "I just feel a bit under the weather. That's all."  
  
When I patted her on the back, she flinched just the tiniest bit.   
"That's OK, Jess. We can take a day off." She nodded.  
  
"We can?" Meowth asked. I gave him a look that said, 'Shut up. Yes, we can.'   
  
Jessie looked up at me and the tiniest smile crossed her lips.   
"Thank you, James."  
  
"You're welcome." I stood up and, without thinking about what I was doing, gave her a quick kiss on top of her red head. Then, once I realize what I had done, I made a quick exit.  
  
~*~  
  
"What was that?" Meowth asked me as he scuttered out behind me.   
  
"What was what?" I asked innocently, knowing very well what he was talking about.  
  
"You kissed her! What was all that about?" Meowth was practically running to keep up with my pace.  
  
"I don't know. It just… seemed appropriate at the time." I said, shrugging.  
  
"Appropriate? Did you see the look on her face after you left?"  
  
"No…" I began to get worried. "What did she look like?"  
  
"Like she was gonna follow you."  
  
"WHY DIDN'T YOU LET HER?" I asked, rather loudly. Jessie was going to follow me out here and Meowth didn't let her come? Darn cat…  
  
"Hey, I did it for you, James. If I had let her come, you might not be able to move right now."  
  
"Wh-why?"  
  
"'Cuz she woulda broken your neck, that's why. I've never seen her so mad."  
  
"You're kidding." But the look on his face told me he wasn't.   
"You're… not…?" Meowth shook his head. "Oh, man…" I sat down on a log. "She's going to hate me now."  
  
"Nah." Meowth plopped down next to me. "She'll get over it. She always does. But hey, ya know, maybe it's a good thing."  
  
"How can it be a good thing if she's mad?"   
  
"'Cuz now she might know that you like her."   
  
I could feel a blush creep onto my cheeks, even though I was trying very hard to keep it down. "Um… why would you think that I do?"  
  
"Duh." Meowth said, crossing his eyes at me. "You think I don't read your diary?"  
  
"WHAT!? Why you little…" I said, standing up. Meowth laughed and ran off. I sat back down and sighed.   
  
"James?"  
  
I jumped 30 feet into the air, landed unharmed, and turned to face Jessie. "Oh. Uh… hi… Jess."  
  
"Hi. You OK?"   
  
"Yeah. Just kinda… I dunno."  
  
She sat down next to me. "Something's wrong. What is it?"  
  
I looked over at her. "Are you mad at me?" I asked bluntly.   
  
Jessie looked about ready to laugh out loud. "No. Why would I be?"   
  
"Uh… Meowth said you were… you're not?"  
  
"No." She scooted closer and put her arm around my shoulders. "Why did he say I was mad?"  
  
"Um…" I was trying to make my brain concentrate on answering her question and not on her arm's current position. "Uh… because…" Suddenly I remembered. "Because I kissed you." Oh, good job, James. Real suave, there...  
  
Jessie laughed softly and squeezed my shoulder. "I'm not mad. In fact…"  
  
I turned to look at her. She was watching me with a small smile on her face. 'Go for it.' A voice inside my head said. So I did. I slowly moved my face towards hers. We were *this close* to kissing when...  
  
"Hey, guys, dinner's ready." Stupid cat. Jessie jerked her head back and stood up quickly.   
  
"Uh… c'mon, James. Let's… go." She started off. I sighed, glared at Meowth, and got up, too.  
  
"What? Whad I do? What?" Meowth said as I headed toward the cabin.  
  
"You have the worst timing in the world. You know that, right?" I asked.  
  
"Why?"   
  
"We were about to kiss. Did you know *that*?"  
  
Meowth started. "No."  
  
"Well, we were. That makes twice today that you interrupted something like that."  
  
"Oops."  
  
"You're right. Oops. You'd think that you could leave us alone for three minutes…"  
  
"Does it take you that long to get up da courage ta kiss her?"  
  
I felt myself blush as I glared at him. Meowth snickered and ran ahead of me.  
  
"Stupid cat!" I yelled after him. Why did he have to ruin *and* know everything? I sighed. There was absolutely *no way* that Jessie and I could *ever* be alone together for a long enough time so I could tell her how I really feel. No way.  
  
~*~  
  
Later that night, I lay in my sleeping bag, thinking. Not too hard, though. Last time I tried, I hurt myself. What could I do to get rid of Meowth long enough for Jessie and I to be alone for a while? Whilst I pondered this, I listened to Jessie's slow breathing, which told me she was fast asleep.  
  
About thirty minutes later, I decided to drop it for the night and try to get some sleep. I rolled over, closed my eyes, and was *just about* to go to sleep when I heard Jessie mumble something. "What was that?" I asked, a bit startled. I had thought she was out.  
  
"Mmmm... James..." she said quietly.   
  
It hit me. Jessie was talking in her sleep. But… what was she dreaming about? Might as well find out. "Yes?"  
  
Her expression was almost… I don't know how to describe it. I never was too good with words. Jessie didn't respond, so I sat up and looked over at her. She sat up to, and began moving. 'She's sleep-walking.' I thought. 'This could get interesting.'  
  
And interesting it was, because Jessie scooted over me and-this really freaks me out- snuggled up next to me. My eyes bugged out of my head and I opened my mouth to speak. Needless to say, not a bit of sound came out. So I just shut it. Jessie sighed and wrapped her arms around my torso. I was shaking like a leaf.   
"Uh... Jessie?" I whispered. That was all I could manage for the moment.  
  
"Mm?" she breathed.  
  
"Uh... do you... um... why... uh..." I couldn't talk right. I took a deep breath as Jessie moved closer to me, if that was possible. She was practically laying on me. "J-J-Jessie?" I managed to stammer.  
  
"Mm..." was her response. She moved closer yet. *Now* she really *was* laying on me. I kept my hands and arms as far away from her as I could, in our close quarters, just in case she woke up suddenly.  
  
"Why- wha- what are you... doing?" I asked. Jessie moved upward on me and tucked her face next to my neck. But she didn't respond. "Jessie?"  
  
"Bwa!" came a sudden voice. I looked over Jessie's hair to see Meowth, coming back from… wherever he had been. "What's goin' on?" He was too loud.  
  
I placed a finger on my lips to shush him, but it was too late.   
Jessie opened her eyes. "What am I *doing*? James!" she said accusingly as she fairly leaped off of me.  
  
"I didn't do anything, Jessie. You were sleep walking! It wasn't my fault!" Hey, I was just an innocent... by-layer.   
  
"Why didn't you wake me up?"  
  
"Prob'ly 'cuz he knew you'd act like dis." Meowth observed.  
  
For once, I had to agree with the uppity little beggar. "Yeah."   
  
Jessie sighed in defeat. "Oh, well. There's nothing I can do. I'm going back to sleep. G'night!" With that, she lay back down and was promptly out like a light.   
  
Meowth whispered, "Psst!" and motioned me to follow him. I did so.  
  
"What in da world wuz *dat*!?" he asked. We were outside the cabin.   
  
"I don't know. She was asleep." I said, rubbing my upper arms. It was pretty cold out. "Can I go back inside now?"  
  
"No! Why didn'tcha wake 'er up?"   
  
"I thought you knew. You said it was because-"  
  
"Dat was a wild guess! I didn't know dat was for real!" He began pacing in front of me. "What was she dreamin' about, anyway?"  
  
I chuckled. "I don't know, but I sure would like to find out."  
  
"Den ask 'er tomorrow."  
  
"You think she'd tell me?"  
  
"Maybe. Maybe not. Ya just gotta see."  
  
"OK. Can I go inside now?"  
  
"Yeah, whateva." I gratefully did so.  
  
~*~  
  
The next morning…  
  
"So, uh… what did you dream about last night, Jessie?" I tentatively asked while we ate breakfast.  
  
"Oh, not much. Why?"  
  
Not much? She sure seemed to be dreaming about quite a bit when she was crawling all over me. "Nothing. Are you *sure* you didn't dream anything... important?"  
  
Jessie closed one eye in thought and rolled the other toward the ceiling. Gosh, that was cute. "Um... yeah. Nothing comes to mind. Something wrong, James?"  
  
"Uh... do you remember anything out of the ordinary happening last night?"  
  
"Yes. That stupid cat woke me up and I was-" She stopped abruptly and a blush lit up her cheeks. "Oh, yeah..."  
  
"What?"  
  
She continued with her meal. "Um... nothing. Just... nothing." It was obvious to me that she remembered perfectly well what she had dreamed last night. I'd just have to *make* her tell me, then.  
  
"You *sure*, Jess?" I asked tauntingly. "You wouldn't be holding out on me, would you?"   
  
"Uh... um... so, how are we going to try and catch Pikachu today?"   
  
THAT, my friend, was the *worst* attempt to change the subject I had ever heard in my life. So I decided to play off of it. "We're not going to try and catch Pikachu."  
  
"We're... we're not?"  
  
"Nope. Not until you tell me what you really dreamed."  
  
Jessie's jaw dropped. "Uh!" I shrugged.  
  
"Sorry. If you tell me, we'll go."  
  
"You can't keep me here!" Jessie proclaimed. She got up and began to make a dash for the door.  
  
"Watch me." I said, leaping after her. I caught up quickly and put her in an arm-lock.   
  
"Let go of me!" She said, trying to break loose. I didn't know how long I could hold her like this. But, one good thing: she couldn't whip out her mallet while her arms were… indisposed. "James! You let go of me right now!"  
  
"Uh-uh. Only if you promise not to run away." I retaliated.  
  
Jessie sighed heavily. "Oh, all right. I promise."   
  
"Uh-uh. I don't trust you." Plus, keeping her in a hold like this wasn't too bad, either.   
  
"Why you little…" She said, and struggled some more (which only made it more fun). Despite myself, I laughed. Bad, bad move. "What's so funny, James?" Jessie said in the most menacing tone that I'd ever heard. If tones of voice could kill, I would most definitely be a very dead crossdressing man.  
  
"Um… nothing…" OK, I was now officially scared. "Uh…"  
  
"You think this is funny?" Now her tone had changed. From very, very mad to… what? "Why are you forcing me to tell you my private stuff?" Sad. That was it. Oh, man. I knew I couldn't hold her while she was talking like that. "Why are you doing this to me?" OK, she sounded on the verge of crying now.   
  
"Uh…" I couldn't stand it anymore. I let her go. "Sorry…"  
  
"Gotcha!" She said, and proceeded to run out the door.   
  
"What was dat all about?" Meowth asked, seemingly coming out of nowhere.  
  
"I tried to make her tell me what she dreamed about, but she ran away."  
  
"First mistake was tryin' to *make* 'er tell ya. But maybe dis means sumtin'."  
  
"Like what?"  
  
"Maybe dis means dat, since she *won't* tell ya what she was dreamin' about, maybe dat means dat she *was* dreamin' about you." He gave me a look. "And obviously, she was dreamin' sumtin' pretty serious about ya."  
  
"Maybe so, but she won't tell me what. And I really wanna know!" I whined.  
  
"Whinin' won't getcha nowhere. Ya just gotta ask 'er nicer." Meowth began pacing.  
  
"Meowth? Do *you* think she likes me?"  
  
"Well, it seems likely, considerin' dat she was gonna letcha kiss 'er… twice!"  
  
"Well, actually, she was going to kiss *me* the first time…"  
  
"Dat's even more proof! So get it through your thick head! She likes ya! She's dreamin' about ya, tryin' t' kiss ya, what else do ya need t' know!?"  
  
"Calm down, Meowth. Stop yelling." Where had Jessie come from!?  
  
"Eee! Um… h-hi, J-J-Jess…" I stuttered. How long had she been there? Had she heard everything Meowth said? "How, uh… how long have you been there?"  
  
"Long enough. Scram, cat." She said this obviously to Meowth, but she was looking straight at *me*. She was apparently irked. Hopefully, not at me.   
  
Meowth protested, "But I-"  
  
"I *said*, SCRAM!" Yes, definitely irked. Meowth sensed this, too, and proceded to scram.  
  
"Uh… Jessie, how much of what Meowth said did you hear?" 'Please say none, please say none, please say none…' I thought to myself.  
  
"Oh, enough to know what-and who-he was talking about." She answered, stepping toward me. Oh,shumck.  
  
"And, uh…" I began, but Jessie stopped me by holding up her hand. "What?"  
  
"Don't say anything." Strange, she didn't seem mad anymore. "He was right, Meowth, that is. I… I *do* like you. And last night… I… was dreaming about you. And… I was… basically acting out in real life what I was dreaming."   
  
Wow. "*Basically* acting it out?"  
  
"Yeah. See… in real life… a couple of things were different. Three in fact."  
  
"And they would be…"  
  
"Well, uh… one, in real life, you… didn't know what was going on…" She smiled a little to herself, "and in my dream you most certainly did. Two, in real life, you uh…" She blushed, "had a shirt on," That made *me* blush, "and three… in real life, as far as I know… we weren't… kissing." Then she got this scared look. "Were we?"  
  
I shook my head. "No, but…" I stepped forward and wrapped my arms around her waist. "I can fix that." I lowered my mouth to hers and gave her a sound kiss. Finally! That ignorant little cat had left us alone long enough for me to-  
  
"Finally did it, eh, guys?" That moronic little… Jessie and I broke away from each other and looked toward the door to see an apparently amused Meowth, grinning from whisker to whisker. "About time."  
  
"That's it. Out you go." I said, breaking away from Jessie long enough to go over to Meowth, catch him before he could get away, pick him up, and punt him as far as I could, which was a fairly good distance.   
  
I turned back to Jessie and said, "That should buy us a little time." She smiled as I leaned down to kiss her again. After we unlocked our lips, I turned around and closed the door, shutting the world (and that infinitely annoying Meowth) outside.  
  
The End  
  
Well, well, whatcha think? It's my first attempt at writing from James' point of view. Tell me how I did! JessicaVance@lovelornpoet.com  



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